Shortly after acquiring the system, he adopted four orphans in their early teens and dissolved the remaining two Marrow Cleansing Pills for them to consume. Although each could only absorb half the efficacy of a pill, it significantly enhanced their martial arts potential. Whether practicing the "Wudang Nine Yang Skill" or the "Fierce Wind Saber Technique," these children progressed extremely rapidly, and in just a few years, they had all reached the Houtian Sixth Layer. Had it not been for the lack of abundant spiritual energy in the surrounding environment, they might have ascended to an even higher level long ago.
Furthermore, Gu Gang discovered something quite peculiar: as soon as these four individuals began practicing the martial arts he passed down, they displayed an incredible level of loyalty toward him. This was not merely a superficial, verbal loyalty; the emotion was visible, deeply felt by him, and even gave him the sensation that he could control their lives or deaths with a single thought. After an in-depth investigation, he confirmed this was not an illusion but a fact—anyone who learned the techniques he imparted would become absolutely obedient, their life and death held firmly in his grasp. This satisfied Gu Gang greatly; after all, human hearts are unpredictable.
Over the years, he had not stopped his own progress either. In this world—similar to his previous life yet slightly different—relying on his understanding of spacetime differentials, he had accumulated assets worth nearly a hundred million, even without specific effort. The three-courtyard house he currently resided in was a later purchase.
Now, listening to the voice emanating from the system, his heart gradually calmed. "The plot related to grave robbing is about to begin. Does this mean, system, that you no longer object to me raiding tombs?"
"Ding. That is correct, host. This system is officially known as the Heavens Martial Arts System, and currently, only the 'Sign-in' function is enabled. As long as you complete a sign-in at the locations prompted by the system, you will receive corresponding rewards. This place is a comprehensive grave-robbing world, and all sign-in points will likely be concentrated in ancient tombs or within plots related to them."
After hearing the system’s explanation, Gu Gang pondered for a moment and slowly nodded. This meant that the system he was bound to might have other functions to unlock in the future besides the current sign-in mode. Moreover, with the system reactivated, perhaps his cultivation, which had long been stagnant, could be improved through these sign-in prizes.
Despite his anticipation, Gu Gang sighed, "It is a pity that this world lacks spiritual energy. If it were abundant, I should have already entered the Xiantian Realm by now, perhaps even reaching the Xiantian Ninth Layer."
Even so, given his strength, he would not face significant difficulties when dealing with familiar ancient tombs. After all, being at the Peak of the Houtian Ninth Layer provided him with a certain degree of confidence. However, this did not mean much, as he was in a grave-robbing world where many powerful and terrifying Ancient Gods existed. These Ancient Gods were each mysterious and unpredictable, their power far exceeding imagination. Even those at the Xiantian Realm, Grandmaster level, or even the Great Grandmaster level would likely struggle to guarantee victory against them. Fortunately, most of these Ancient Gods had fallen or were locked in deep slumber, posing no immediate threat.
Just then, the system’s continuous notification chime rang again. "Ding. The system has issued three sign-in tasks. Complete your first sign-in at the General of the Jin Dynasty’s tomb and the Kwantung Army Fortress to receive rewards." The system then reminded him that there were additional benefits for signing in at the Xinyue Hotel and Panjiayuan.
Hearing the relentless stream of voice notifications, Gu Gang could not help but frown. Was it this enthusiastic just after resuming operations? "If I complete all three sign-in targets, I can indeed obtain many good things." After weighing his options, he decided to tackle the nearby targets first. "Panjiayuan and Xinyue Hotel are not far from here; I might as well start with those."
In fact, his residence was right next to one of the targets: Panjiayuan. Without delay, he tidied up and prepared to leave. At that moment, a familiar voice came from outside, "Master!"
A young man entered at the call. Dressed in black and in his early twenties, he bowed respectfully to report the situation. It turned out that a man named Wang Fatty, whom his subordinates had been monitoring, had come to the shop attempting to sell a jade pendant.
After hearing the report, Gu Gang gave a faint smile and said, "I was just about to head to Panjiayuan. I'll stop by and take a look at this jade." The young man immediately followed him as he set off. This attendant was the eldest among the orphans Gu Gang had rescued and raised. Named after the Gu surname, they were known as Gu Yi through Gu Si. They had become his most loyal and capable assistants, particularly renowned in the capital's antique market. Even though their boss hadn't personally explored a tomb in years, he had long laid the groundwork by operating shops specializing in antique trading.
With fixed sales channels, it became much easier to sell the precious Burial Artifacts extracted from various mysterious ancient tombs later on. "We encountered some setbacks when we first opened, but in the end, it was the brothers' methods that solved the problems." Gu Gang recalled that when handling the competition with the Liulichang market, it was the decisive and tough attitude of his disciples that had completely suppressed the opponents. Since then, those led by Gu Yi had become people that others in the capital's antique market dared not easily provoke. Their boss, Gu Gang, gradually became a focal point of curiosity and speculation. However, Gu Gang had maintained a low profile over the years, and few people knew who he really was.
The two walked leisurely to Panjiayuan and soon stopped in front of a storefront. Three bold, vigorous characters were carved onto the plaque: "Gujin Pavilion!"
Gujin Pavilion was the shop Gu Gang had opened in Panjiayuan. The shop was quite large, consisting of three levels. The first floor, covering about two hundred square meters, mostly displayed fakes or trinkets of unknown origin. The second floor, a space of over one hundred square meters, housed genuine antique treasures, with prices ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. As for the top floor, it was divided into two areas: one was a meticulously decorated room where Gu Yi and the others took turns resting while keeping watch over the shop; the other area, though only a few dozen square meters, was filled with rare treasures, every one of which was worth a fortune.
However, the third floor was not yet full, and there were only a few pieces that could truly be called treasures. Standing at the door now, Gu Gang did not rush to enter the shop but whispered in his heart: "System, execute the sign-in task!"
Immediately, a clear notification sounded in his ear: "Ding. Sign-in in progress..."
"Ding. Sign-in at Panjiayuan successful. Congratulations to the host for obtaining a bottle of True Essence Pill."
This pill would help the host accelerate the condensation of scattered True Qi in the Dantian into the power of True Essence. If fully converted, the host would immediately step into the Xiantian Realm. Note: The maximum dosage is five pills per month.
"Ding. Confirm receipt of the reward?"
Hearing the system's feedback, Gu Gang's eyes flickered, his heart unable to hide its joy. He knew that it had taken him only two years to reach the Peak of the Houtian Ninth Layer after beginning his cultivation, but in the three years since, no matter how hard he tried, he had only managed to condense a trace of True Essence due to the lack of spiritual energy in the world. One could imagine how difficult it was to compress all his True Qi into quality essence. But this True Essence Pill would undoubtedly be a powerful catalyst!
"Entering the Xiantian Realm is within reach!" Gu Gang felt a surge of comfort. With the support of this item, he believed he would soon achieve his goal of entering the Xiantian Realm. Having the system was truly satisfying. As the saying goes: a moment's pleasure brings a lifetime of joy. Now, with the revival of the system and the generous rewards from signing in, his cultivation would surely grow rapidly, propelling him to heights previously unattainable.
As he thought this, he raised his right hand, and a cyan and white jade bottle appeared in his palm. Opening it to take a look, he saw twelve brown medicinal pills inside.